Beyond Conventional Boundaries: Addressing Therapist Bias in Recreation Assessment for Whole Person Health

Abstract

Despite recreation therapy’s commitment to person-centered care, current assessment practices operate within conventional boundaries that may limit recognition of clients' authentic leisure interests. This conceptual analysis addresses how therapist bias could systematically filter client leisure identities during assessment, potentially creating barriers to culturally responsive interventions and perpetuating health disparities. The proposed framework aligns with whole person health principles that address interconnected biological, behavioral, social, and environmental factors influencing health outcomes, recognizing that authentic wellness emerges from individuals' capacity to express complete identities rather than treating isolated symptoms. The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework illuminating how practitioner filtering mechanisms operate and propose systematic approaches for inclusive assessment environments. Through theoretical analysis integrating stigma research, cultural competency literature, and leisure studies scholarship, this study develops the Bias-Aware Assessment Framework (BAAF). The framework synthesizes the Assessment Paradox—the tension between person-centered ideals and institutional realities. The Bias-Aware Assessment Framework (BAAF) model identifies four interconnected layers influencing assessment outcomes: societal context, institutional filters, therapist lens, and client experience. It reveals how practitioners' cultural assumptions and personal perspectives create systemic gaps between clients' actual leisure identities and activities deemed appropriate within therapeutic frameworks. The BAAF provides practical guidance through bias recognition strategies, cultural humility approaches, and client-centered exploration techniques. Long-term implications include transforming professional education, supervision practices, and organizational policies. The field stands at a critical juncture where person-centered care commitments must evolve beyond theoretical ideals toward systematic bias-aware practices advancing health equity through authentic recognition of diverse leisure identities.